Osteospermum plant named &#39;oslipu&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum ecklonis  plant named ‘Oslipu’ characterized by its very compact ball shape plant habit, dark green colored leaves, freely flowering with numerous inflorescences per plant, and daisy-type inflorescences with deep purple colored ray florets and blue colored disc florets.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Osteospermum ecklonis

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

‘Oslipu’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis.

The new Osteospermum is propagated by cuttings resulting from a cross of a proprietary Osteospermum ecklonis seedling selection as the male, or pollen, parent identified as code number ‘C272’ with a proprietary Osteospermum ecklonis selection identified as code number ‘C298’ as the female, or seed, parent. Breeding code of new plant is ‘C0298-4.’

The new Osteospermum was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated population grown in Enkhuizen, Netherlands, in 1998. Neither ‘C272’ nor ‘C298’ has been patented. The new Osteospermum plant has been repeatably asexually reproduced by cuttings in Enkhuizen, Netherlands over a period of 7 years. It has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations, and this novelty appears to be firmly fixed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

This new Osteospermum plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographic drawing which shows blooms, buds and foliage of the plant in full color, the color shown being as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of this new Osteospermum plant. The data which defines these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Enkhuizen, Netherlands. The plant history was taken on 25 weeks old plants. The instant plant was grown indoors in a 10.5 cm container and transplanted into the open field in week 20.

Color references are primarily to the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London, edition 2001. TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW CULTIVAR ‘OSLIPU’ AND TWO SIMILAR CULTIVARS ‘Osoutis’ (U.S. Pat. ‘Wild Side’ (Not ‘Oslipu’ No. 15,491) patented) Plant height 18-20 cm 25 cm 38 cm Plant width 20-25 cm 30 cm 52 cm Flower color Purple fading Purple fading Deep Purple Flower size   4 cm  5 cm  5 cm THE PLANT Classification - Botanical Osteospermum ecklonis PARENTAGE Female parent A seedling named ‘C298’ is one of our seedlings from our C-generation of plants bred in 1998. Breeder's code of the new plant is ‘C0298-4’ (not patented). Male parent A seedling named ‘C272’ is one of our seedlings from our C-generation of plants bred in 1998. PLANT DESCRIPTION Growth habit Round, very compact Plant height 18-20 cm Speading area of plant 15-25 cm Strength Moderate growth Branching character Freely branching, 12 lateral branches without pinching Blooming period From May until October THE STEM Length 13 cm Diameter 2-3 mm Internode length 10 mm Texture Glabrous Color RHS 146B THE FOLIAGE Shape Single leaves, alternate and elliptic, apex broadly acute Base: attenuate, margin: irregular serration Number of leaves per lateral branch 84 Texture Glabrous, leathery Leaf Color - Upper side RHS 137B Color - Under side RHS 137C Length Young 10-16 mm, mature 50 mm Width Young 5-7 mm, mature 22-26 mm Petiole Absent THE INFLORESCENCE Number of inflorescences 50 per mature plant Inflorescence bud Form Ovoid Length 5-8 mm Width 6-8 mm Color RHS 79D Inflorescence lastingness on the plant Around 5 days depending on the temperature Inflorescence Diameter 40 mm Disc diameter 6-8 mm Inflorescence depth 6 mm Fragrance No fragrance Disc florets Shape Tubular, elongated Apex Five pointed Length 8 mm Width 1 mm Number of disc florets 55 per inflorescence Color RHS 79B Ray florets Length 22 mm Width 6 mm Shape Capitulum with one series of ray florets Color Upper surface RHS 72A Middle surface RHS 72A Lower surface RHS N79A Number of ray 16-18, some (2-5) small needle ray florets per capitulum florets Shape Apex Rounded Base Acute Margin Entire Texture Satiny Peduncles Length 4-5 cm Texture Tiny hairs Color RHS 144A Diameter 1.5 mm Shape Round Phyllaries Texture Rough, tiny hairs Number of phyllaries 16-17 Color RHS 144B Length 7 mm Margin Entire Width 1 mm Apex Acute Shape Ligulate Color - Upper RHS 144B Color - Lower RHS 144B REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS Androecium Appearance Present on disc florets only Shape Oblong, five stamens fused to one Length 2 mm Width 1 mm Pollen color RHS 25A Total no. of anthers 40 Gynoecium Appearance Present on both ray and disc florets Pistil number One pistil per ray or disc floret Pistil length 4 mm Stigma color RHS 77A Stigma shape Bipartite SEED DEVELOPMENT Seed development has been observed on plants of the new Osteospermum. Amount of seeds produced Moderate Seed length 5 mm Diameter 2 mm Color RHS 200A Shape Elliptic

DISEASE RESISTANCE

Under commercial conditions, plants of the new Osteospermum are resistant to fungal pathogens common to Osteospermum. 

1. A new and distinct variety of Osteospermum plant, substantially as illustrated and described herein. 